Anti-reflection structures for CMOS image sensors

ABSTRACT

Optical structures having an array of protuberances between two layers having different refractive indices are provided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensions less than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of a CMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmission of light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may be provided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnect structure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode, or on a window of a chip package.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to a U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/120,459 concurrently filed with the present application, which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to semiconductor structures, andparticularly to anti-reflection structures for complementarymetal-oxide-semiconductor image sensors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An image sensor converts a visual image to digital data that may berepresented by a picture. The image sensor comprises an array of pixels,which are unit devices for the conversion of the visual image intodigital data. Digital cameras and optical imaging devices employ animage sensor. Image sensors include charge-coupled devices (CCDs) orcomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors.

While CMOS image sensors have been more recently developed compared tothe CCDs, CMOS image sensors provide an advantage of lower powerconsumption, smaller size, and faster data processing than CCDs as wellas direct digital output that is not available in CCDs. Also, CMOS imagesensors have lower manufacturing cost compared with the CCDs since manystandard semiconductor manufacturing processes may be employed tomanufacture CMOS image sensors. For these reasons, commercial employmentof CMOS image sensors has been steadily increasing in recent years.

The CMOS image sensor unit cell comprises a pixel area and a logic area.The pixel area typically contains one of each type of active pixel,e.g., a red pixel having a first photodiode underneath a red opticalfilter, a green pixel having a second photodiode underneath a greenoptical filter, and a blue pixel having a third photodiode underneath ablue optical filter. The pixel area may also contain a dark pixel, whichis covered with an opaque layer such as an aluminum light shield andemployed to measure a background output level in the absence ofillumination so that the output of other pixels may be referenced andcalibrated. U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,912 to Tennant et al. describes use of adark pixel and is incorporated herein by reference.

Each photodiode generates charges upon exposure to light. Logic devicesconnected to the photodiode detect and amplify the charges to generatesignals proportional to the incident light. Each pixel comprises atleast one photodiode to convert incident photons into electricalcharges. Since the area of the photodiode is less than the area of eachpixel, a convex-top flat-bottom lens, i.e., an optical lens having aconvex surface at the top and a substantially flat surface at thebottom, is typically formed over each photodiode so that photonsincident upon a convex-top flat-bottom lens are focused onto thephotodiode located underneath. Typically, a color filter is formedbetween the convex-top flat-bottom lens and the photodiodes to make eachpixel color-sensitive, i.e., responsive to photons within a certainwavelength range. The convex-top flat-bottom lens thus acts to focuslight over a wide area onto the area of the photodiodes.

The efficiency of each pixel depends on the amount of transmitted lightthrough the light path as well as the quality of the lens systemthereabove in focusing the transmitted light. Many technologicaladvances in the lens system, such as composite lens systems havingmultiple lenses in the light path, have been made to provide moreeffective focusing of lights that impinge on the outer surface of apixel area on a semiconductor chip. Transmission of light through thelight paths is maximized by providing as few optical interfaces in thelight path, as well as employing material providing as small adifference as possible at each optical interface. In many cases,unnecessary optical interfaces are eliminated from a semiconductor toimprove light transmission. In some cases, optical interfaces areeliminated even at the expense of adverse effects such as degradation ofprocess control or reliability. For example, openings in cap dielectriclayers are formed within a pixel area despite the degraded protection ofunderlying metal lines and/or degraded process uniformity and topographyin metal interconnect structures thereabove.

Despite such structural modifications introduced into a pixel structure,loss of light due to reflection in the optical path is stillsignificant, and thus, is a limiting factor on the efficiency of imagesensor pixel structures.

In view of the above, there is a need for a structure reducingreflection of light in the optical path of a CMOS image sensor pixel,thereby enhancing transmission of light to a photodiode and increasingthe overall efficiency of the image sensor pixel, and methods ofmanufacturing the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the needs described above by providinganti-reflection structures including “moth eye type structures,” ornanoscale protuberances having dimensions less than the wavelength ofthe light that a CMOS image sensor is designed to detect, which providea graded refractive index region between two materials having differentrefractive indices and thereby reduce reflection at the opticalinterface, and methods of manufacturing the same.

In the present invention, optical structures having an array ofprotuberances between two layers having different refractive indices areprovided. The array of protuberances has vertical and lateral dimensionsless than the wavelength range of lights detectable by a photodiode of aCMOS image sensor. The array of protuberances provides high transmissionof light with little reflection. The array of protuberances may beprovided over a photodiode, in a back-end-of-line interconnectstructure, over a lens for a photodiode, on a backside of a photodiode,or on a window of a chip package.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a semiconductorstructure is provided, which comprises:

a photodiode located on a first surface of a semiconductor layer;

a metal interconnect layer located on the first surface of thesemiconductor layer; and

an insulator layer located on a second surface of the semiconductorlayer, wherein the second surface is located on an opposite side of thefirst surface, and wherein the insulator layer includes an array ofprotuberances at an interface with an ambient gas or vacuum.

The array of protuberances may have a hexagonal symmetry with surfaceshaving a constant concave curvature. Thus, the array of protuberances ofthe present invention may be a regular hexagonal array, but is notlimited to a regular hexagonal array. The array of protuberances has ashape of a block matrix with an array of cavities therein, in which eachcavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.

According to another aspect of the present invention, anothersemiconductor structure is provided, which comprises:

a photodiode located in a semiconductor layer;

a transistor located on the semiconductor layer, wherein a source of thetransistor is of integral construction with the photodiode;

an interconnect level dielectric layer embedding a metal line andlocated on the semiconductor layer; and

a protuberance-containing dielectric portion located directly on theinterconnect level dielectric layer, wherein the protuberance-containingdielectric portion comprises an array of an array of protuberances.

The semiconductor structure may further comprise an optical lensconfigured to focus light on the photodiode.

The array of protuberances may have a hexagonal symmetry with surfaceshaving a constant concave curvature. The array of protuberances has ashape of a block matrix with an array of cavities therein, in which eachcavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.

The protuberance-containing dielectric portion may comprise siliconnitride and the interconnect level dielectric layer may comprise siliconoxide.

The semiconductor structure may comprise a logic area and a pixel area,wherein the logic area includes the flat dielectric portion and thepixel area includes the protuberance-containing dielectric portion.

The height of the cone may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm, and thefirst thickness may be from about 50 nm to about 600 nm.

According to even another aspect of the present invention, even anothersemiconductor structure is provided, which comprises:

a photodiode located in a semiconductor layer;

a transistor located on the semiconductor layer, wherein a source of thetransistor is of integral construction with the photodiode; and

a dielectric layer located overlying the photodiode, laterallysurrounding and overlying a gate electrode of the transistor, andcomprising a protuberance-containing dielectric portion which overliesthe photodiode and includes an array of protuberances.

The dielectric layer may comprise a first silicon nitride material andthe intermediate dielectric layer may comprise a second silicon nitridematerial.

The dielectric layer may comprise silicon nitride and the intermediatedielectric layer may comprise silicon oxide.

The array may be a regular hexagonal array. Each of the protuberancesmay have a shape of a cone having a monotonically decreasingcross-sectional area as a function of a vertical distance from a base ofthe cone. The array of protuberances may have a hexagonal symmetry withsurfaces having a constant concave curvature. The array of protuberanceshas a shape of a block matrix with an array of cavities therein, inwhich each cavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.

The height of the cone may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm, and thefirst thickness may be from about 50 nm to about 600 nm.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, yet anothersemiconductor structure is provided, which comprises:

a photodiode located in a semiconductor layer;

a dielectric material layer containing a lens and located over thephotodiode, wherein the lens is located in an optical path of thephotodiode; and

a protuberance-containing dielectric portion located directly on thedielectric material layer, wherein the protuberance-containingdielectric portion comprises an array of protuberances.

The semiconductor structure may further comprise a transistor located onthe semiconductor layer, wherein a source of the transistor is ofintegral construction with the photodiode. The semiconductor structuremay further comprise an interconnect level dielectric layer embedding ametal line and located on the semiconductor layer. The lens may comprisea material having a higher refractive index than the dielectric materiallayer.

A pitch of the array of protuberances may be less than 270 nm. The pitchmay be a sub-lithographic dimension. The array may be a regularhexagonal array. Each of the protuberances may have a shape of a conehaving a monotonically decreasing cross-sectional area as a function ofa vertical distance from a base of the cone. The array of protuberancesmay have a hexagonal symmetry with surfaces having a constant concavecurvature. The array of protuberances has a shape of a block matrix withan array of cavities therein, in which each cavity has a shape of aninverted circular cone.

The protuberance-containing dielectric portion may comprise, but is notlimited to, acrylate, methacrylate, epoxy-acrylate, polyimide, or acombination thereof.

The semiconductor structure may comprise a logic area and a pixel area,wherein the logic includes the flat dielectric portion and the pixelarea includes the protuberance-containing dielectric portion. Thesemiconductor structure may further comprise a metal pad area in which ametal pad located in an interconnect level dielectric layer is exposedand is free of the flat dielectric portion and theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion. The height of the cone maybe from about 40 nm to about 480 nm, and the first thickness may be fromabout 50 nm to about 600 nm.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, stillanother semiconductor structure is provided, which comprises:

a semiconductor chip; and

a package housing encapsulating the semiconductor chip and including anoptically transparent window, the window comprising a first array ofprotuberances on a front surface and a second set of protuberances on aback surface.

The array may be, but is not limited to, a regular hexagonal array.Optionally, the array of protuberances may have a hexagonal symmetrywith surfaces having a constant concave curvature. The array ofprotuberances has a shape of a block matrix with an array of cavitiestherein, in which each cavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.

The semiconductor chip may include at least one photodiode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of an exemplary array ofprotuberances according to the present invention. FIG. 1B is a plot ofthe effective refractive index as a function of a vertical distance forthe exemplary array of protuberances in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a schematicrepresentation of a wavelength of light impinging on the exemplary arrayof protuberances in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1D is a top-down view of the exemplaryarray of protuberances for the case of hexagonal conical protuberances.FIGS. 1E and 1F are horizontal cross-sectional views of the exemplaryarray of protuberances in the plane E-E′ and F-F′, respectively. Theplane A-A′ in FIGS. 1D-1F corresponds to the plane of the verticalcross-sectional view of FIG. 1A. FIGS. 1G-1I are alternative verticalcross-sectional views for the exemplary array of protuberances.

FIG. 2 is a graph of minimum wavelength for high transmission employingthe array of protuberances of the present invention for an air tosilicon nitride interface and for an air to silicon oxide interface.

FIGS. 3-5, 6, and 7 are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of afirst exemplary semiconductor structure according to a first embodimentof the present invention. FIGS. 5A and 6A are top-down views of aportion of the first exemplary semiconductor structure at a processingstep corresponding to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, respectively. FIG. 6B is avertical cross-sectional view of a variation of the first exemplarysemiconductor structure. FIG. 6C is a top-down view of a portion of thevariation of the first exemplary semiconductor structure at a processingstep corresponding to FIG. 6B.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a second exemplarysemiconductor structure according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 9-14 and 15 are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of anexemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure that may be employed toform the second exemplary semiconductor structure of FIG. 8. FIG. 14A isa vertical cross-sectional view of a variation of the exemplary M2 levelmetal interconnect structure.

FIGS. 16-21 and 22 are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of athird exemplary semiconductor structure at various manufacturing stagesaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21A is afirst variation of the third exemplary semiconductor structure. FIG. 22Ais a second variation of the third exemplary semiconductor structure.

FIGS. 23-27 and 28 are sequential vertical cross-sectional views of afourth exemplary semiconductor structure at various manufacturing stagesaccording to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 27A is afirst variation of the fourth exemplary semiconductor structure. FIG.28A is a second variation of the fourth exemplary semiconductorstructure.

FIG. 29 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fifth exemplarysemiconductor structure according to the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 30 is a magnified view of the fifth exemplary semiconductorstructure.

FIGS. 31-33, 34, 35, and 36 are sequential vertical cross-sectionalviews of an optically transparent window 100 according to the fifthembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 33A shows a first variation ofthe fifth embodiment. FIG. 35A shows a second variation of the fifthembodiment.

FIG. 37 is a flow diagram of a design process used in semiconductordesign and manufacture according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As stated above, the present invention relates to anti-reflectionstructures for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensors,which are now described in detail with accompanying figures. It is notedthat like and corresponding elements are referred to by like referencenumerals.

Discovery of antireflective properties of facet lenses in moth-eyes wasfirst reported in C. G. Bernhard, “Structural and functional adaptationin a visual system,” Endeavour, 26, pp. 79-84, (1967). Further researchled to characterization of such facet lenses. One of such research work,S. J. Wilson, “The optical properties of ‘moth eye’ antireflectionsurfaces,” Optica Acta, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 993-1009 (1982). A compoundeye of a moth contains of an array of cuticular protuberances termed“corneal nipples.” The corneal nipple array provides a significantreduction in the reflectance of the facet lens surface, andconsequently, a high transmittance of light through the interfacebetween the air and the compound eye. It has been estimated that such acorneal nipple array increases light transmittance from about 96% tomore than 99%. Subsequently, corneal nipple arrays have been observed inmany other insects.

The optical characteristics of a moth-eye surface is best understood asa plurality of surface layers comprising gradually varying fractions ofair and a material comprising the compound eye. Instead of a sharpinterface between air and the material of the compound eye, the cornealnipple array produces a graded refractive index zone which impedes lightreflection and enhances light transmission.

The present invention employs structures imitating a corneal nipplearray. Unlike the corneal nipple array observed in insects, the presentinvention employs an array of protuberances made of a non-biologicaloptically transparent material. The array of protuberances of thepresent invention may be formed by self-assembling polymers that mayform sub-lithographic lateral features, or may be formed by conventionallithographic methods. The array of protuberances of the presentinvention is employed to enhance light transmission into a semiconductorchip containing a photodiode or a complementarymetal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of an exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 located over a constant thickness portion 102according to the present invention. FIG. 1D is a top-down view and FIGS.1E and 1F are horizontal cross-sectional views of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 in the plane E-E′ or F-F′ of FIG. 1A, respectively.The exemplary array of protuberances 101 and the constant thicknessportion 102 comprise the same material, which is optically transparent.Preferably, the exemplary array of protuberances 101 forms a regulararray, i.e., an array having a periodicity at least in one direction.Preferably, the exemplary array of protuberances 101 has atwo-dimensional periodicity.

The array of protuberances has a shape of a block in which an array ofcavities, each having a shape of an inverted circular cone, are formed.The array of protuberances is of integral construction since pairs ofadjacent protuberances are laterally adjoined to each other. Eachprotuberance 101 has a decreasing horizontal cross-sectional area as afunction of distance from the constant thickness portion 102. Thepresent invention is described employing cavities each having a shape ofan inverted circular cone. In general, however, the cavities may be anytype of inverted cone having an arbitrary cross-sectional shape, whichis determined by the shape of a block matrix formed to etch a material,out of a remaining portion of which the array of protuberances is formedas described below. Thus, the shape of the horizontal cross-sectionalarea of each protuberance 101 may be polygonal, elliptical, or acombination thereof, and depends on the periodicity of the exemplaryarray of protuberances 101. The cross-sectional are of each protuberance101 may have curvature built therein, as may be seen in FIGS. 1G and 1H.Further, each protuberance 101 may have flat top areas, which may be aplurality of isolated areas or a single contiguous area.

For example, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the protuberances101 may be a matrix containing an array of circular cavities. Ingeneral, horizontal cross-sectional area of the protuberances 101 is acomplement of an array of shapes, which may be a rectangle or any otherpolygonal or elliptical shape. Such variations are effected by selectinga self-assembly material forming such cross-sectional shapes or bypatterning a photoresist to lithographically form such patterns in themanufacturing steps to be subsequently described.

The pitch p of the exemplary array of protuberances 101 and the height hof the protuberances 101 may be optimized to increase transmission oflight between the exemplary array of protuberances 101 and the ambient,which has a different refractive index than the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 and the constant thickness portion 102 and maycomprise air, vacuum, or a solid material. In case the ambient comprisesair or vacuum, the height h of the protuberances 101 is ideally fromabout 0.1 to 0.6 times the wavelength of light in vacuum, and ispreferably from about 0.25 to 0.5 times the wavelength of the light invacuum. For optical spectrum which has a wavelength range from about 400nm to about 800 nm, the height h of the protuberances may be from about40 nm to about 480 nm, and preferably from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.The optimal dimension for the height h may vary depending on therefractive index of the ambient and the refractive index of theexemplary array of protuberances 101 and the constant thickness portion102.

FIG. 1B is a plot of the effective refractive index as a function of avertical distance for the exemplary array of protuberances in FIG. 1A.The effective refractive index is a weighted average of the refractiveindices of the ambient and the exemplary array of protuberances 101 andthe constant thickness portion 102 at each horizontal plane at which theeffective refractive index is calculated. The effective refractive indexis the same as the refractive index of the ambient above the verticaldistance d exceeding the height h of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101, and gradually increases as the vertical distance ddecreases past the vertical distance corresponding to the apexes of theexemplary array of protuberances 101. The effective refractive indexbecomes the same as the refractive index of the constant thicknessportion 102 when the vertical distance d is less than the distancecorresponding to bottom surfaces of the protuberances 101.

FIG. 1C is a schematic representation of a wavelength of light impingingon the exemplary array of protuberances in FIG. 1A to illustrate therelative dimension of the wavelength of the light and the height h ofthe protuberances 101. Since the wavelength of the light may have arange, e.g., from about 400 nm to about 800 nm, the relative scalebetween the wavelength λ and the height h of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 is only approximate.

Each of the cones comprising the exemplary array of protuberances 101may, or may not, have a constant taper. Convex and concave curvaturesmay be present in the individual cones in the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 as illustrated in FIGS. 1G and 1H. Further, theindividual “cones” may not have an apex, and may be substituted with atrapezoidal cone having a flat top surface as in FIG. 1I. Suchcurvatures may be introduced by manipulating an etch process duringformation of the exemplary array of protuberances 101. In general, aslong as the horizontal cross-sectional area of an individualprotuberance decreases monotonically with the increase in the verticaldistance d, the present invention may be practiced with any horizontalcross-sectional shape and/or any array configuration, which may be aregular array or an irregular array.

FIG. 2 is a graph of minimum wavelength for high transmission(transmission coefficient greater than 99%) employing the array ofprotuberances of the present invention for an air to silicon nitrideinterface and for an air to silicon oxide interface. The pitch of thefeature, which is the pitch of the exemplary array of protuberances 101which may be measured from an apex of a protuberance 101 to the apex ofa neighboring protuberance 101, affects the effectiveness of theexemplary array of protuberances 101. Also, the refractive index of theexemplary array of protuberances 101 affects the minimum wavelength forhigh transmission. The refractive index is about 2.02 for siliconnitride and about 1.46 for silicon oxide. An air to silicon nitrideinterface achieves high transmission for a pitch p of about or less than200 nm. An air to silicon oxide interface achieves high transmission fora pitch p of about or less than 270 nm. Preferably, the pitch p of theexemplary array of protuberances 101 is less than 270 nm.

In general, the smaller the pitch p of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101, the higher the transmission of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 of the present invention. The present inventionenables arrays of protuberances having a pitch of a sublithographicdimension. While a lithographic minimum dimension, or a criticaldimension, is defined only in relation to an available lithography tool,and normally changes from generation to generation of semiconductortechnology, it is understood that the lithographic minimum dimension andthe critical dimension are to be defined in relation to the bestperformance of lithography tools available at the time of semiconductormanufacturing. As of 2008, the lithographic minimum dimension is about50 nm and is expected to shrink in the future. Any dimension less thanthe lithographic minimum dimension is called a “sublithographicdimension.” Method of achieving such a sublithographic dimension for thepitch p of the exemplary array of protuberances 101 is described below.

Alternately, the pitch p of the exemplary array of protuberances 101 maybe a lithographic dimension, i.e., a dimension equal to or greater thanthe lithographic minimum dimension. Method of achieving such alithographic dimension for the pitch p of the exemplary array ofprotuberances 101 is also described below.

Referring to FIG. 3, a first exemplary semiconductor structure comprisessemiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate 9 and back-end-of-the-line(BEOL) structures 29. The SOI substrate 9 comprises a handle substrate2, a buried insulator layer 4, and a semiconductor layer 10. The firstexemplary semiconductor structure comprises a pixel area containing CMOSimage sensor pixels and a logic area in which standard semiconductordevices comprising a logic circuitry that supports the operation of theCMOS image sensor pixels are located.

The first exemplary semiconductor structure comprises gate electrodestructures 20, a contact array and first metal line (CA-M1) leveldielectric layer 30, a second metal line (M2) level dielectric layer 40,a second via (V2) level dielectric layer 50, a third metal line (M3)level dielectric layer 60, and a dielectric passivation layer 70. Eachof the gate electrode structures 20 in the pixel area form a transfergate transistor of which the source is of integral construction with aphotodiode 8.

In addition to the photodiodes 8, the semiconductor layer 10 alsocomprises shallow trench isolation structures 6, n-type wells(“N-well”), and/or p-type wells (“P-well,” not shown). The area of thesemiconductor layer 10 comprising a semiconductor material such assilicon or a silicon germanium alloy and surrounded by the shallowtrench isolation structures 6 is referred to an RX area, in which sourceand drain regions of transistors may be formed by methods known in theart. Each of the gate electrode structures 20 comprises a gatedielectric, a gate conductor line, and a gate spacer surrounding thegate conductor, and may be formed by methods known in the art. A mobileion diffusion barrier layer 12, comprising a dielectric material that isimpervious to mobile ions such as silicon nitride, is formed over thesemiconductor layer 10 and the gate electrode structures 20. The mobileion diffusion barrier layer 12 prevents diffusion of mobile ions fromthe back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) structures 29 into the semiconductorlayer 10 or the gate level structures 20.

The back-end-of the-line (BEOL) structures 29 include the various metalinterconnect structures located above the mobile ion diffusion barrierlayer 12. The BEOL structures include a stack of the CA-M1 leveldielectric layer 30, an M1 level dielectric cap layer 32, the secondmetal line (M2) level dielectric layer 40, an M2 level dielectric caplayer 42, the second via (V2) level dielectric layer 50, the third metalline (M3) level dielectric layer 60, the M3 level dielectric cap layer62, and the dielectric passivation layer 70. The various dielectriclayers and passivation layers may be formed by chemical vapor depositionor a spin-on coating.

Specifically, the CA-M1 level dielectric layer 30 is formed by chemicalvapor deposition or by a spin-on coating. The CA-M1 level dielectriclayer 30 may be formed as a single dielectric layer, or may be formed asmultiple dielectric layers. The CA-M1 level dielectric layer 30typically comprises silicon oxide, which has a refractive index of about1.46. CA level contact vias 36 are formed in a lower portion of theCA-M1 level dielectric layer 30 to provide an electrical connection to asemiconductor device in the semiconductor layer 10 to an M1 line 38,which is formed in an upper portion of the CA-M1 level dielectric layer30. Typically, the CA level contact vias 36 comprises W, and the M1 line38 comprises Cu. The M1 level dielectric cap layer 32 is formed on a topsurface of the CA-M1 level dielectric layer 30. The M1 level dielectriccap layer 32 typically comprises a material resistant to chemicalmechanical polish so that it is effective as a stopping layer during aplanarization process. Typical materials for the M1 level dielectric caplayer include silicon nitride and a barrier low-k dielectric materialsuch as BLoK™ by Applied Materials Inc. that is suitable as abarrier/etch stop film for copper damascene applications. The M1 leveldielectric cap layer 32 may be subsequently patterned so that the M1level dielectric cap layer 32 is removed within the optical path of thepixels in the pixel area.

The M2 level dielectric layer 40 is formed over the M1 level dielectriccap layer 32 by methods known in the art. The M2 level dielectric layer40 typically comprises silicon oxide. V1 vias 46 are formed in a lowerportion of the M2 level dielectric layer 40 to provide an electricalconnection between an underlying M1 line 38 and an M2 line 48, which isformed in an upper portion of the M2 level dielectric layer 40.Typically, the V1 vias 36 and the M2 lines 48 comprise Cu. The M2 leveldielectric cap layer 42 is formed on a top surface of the M2 leveldielectric layer 40. The M2 level dielectric cap layer 42 typicallycomprises a material resistant to chemical mechanical polish as the M1level dielectric cap layer 32. The M2 level dielectric cap layer 42 maybe subsequently patterned so that the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42is removed within the optical path of the pixels in the pixel area. Asmany additional metal wiring levels including conductive vias and metallines may be formed over the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42 as needed.

On top of a last wiring level containing conventional metal wiringstructures, a last via level dielectric layer is deposited, in whichlast level conductive vias are formed. In the exemplary semiconductorstructure of FIG. 1, the V2 level dielectric layer 50 is formed over theM2 level dielectric cap layer 42. Typically, the V2 level dielectriclayer 50 comprises silicon oxide which has a refractive index of about1.46. A second via level (V2) via 54 is formed by lithographic methods,an anisotropic etch, a metal fill, and planarization. The V2 via 54comprises metal such as W.

The first exemplary semiconductor structure further comprises at leastone aluminum structure such as an aluminum bond pad 67 and aluminummetal lines 68. Optionally, at least one metallic barrier structure 52may be formed between the V2 level dielectric layer 50 and the at leastone aluminum structure (67, 68). If the at least one metallic barrierstructure 52 is present, the sidewalls of the at least one metallicbarrier structure 52 and the sidewalls of the at least one aluminumstructure (67, 68) are substantially vertically coincident since thesame lithographic mask is employed to pattern the at least one metallicbarrier structure 52 and the at least one aluminum structure (67, 68).

The M3 level dielectric layer 60 and the M3 level dielectric cap layer62 are formed on the various aluminum structures (67, 68) and the V2level dielectric layer 50 to provide passivation, or protection of theunderlying structures from the ambient and ingress of moisture orcontamination materials. A passivation layer 70 is formed over M3 leveldielectric cap layer 62. A portion of the aluminum bonding pad 67 isexposed to enable bonding of external wires or C4 bonding.

Referring to FIG. 4, the handle substrate 2 is removed from firstexemplary semiconductor structure, for example, by cleaving, polishing,etching, or a combination thereof. A buried insulator layer bottomsurface 3, which is a surface of the buried insulator layer 4 from whichthe handle substrate 2 is removed, is exposed. The first exemplarysemiconductor structure is flipped upside down so that the buriedinsulator layer bottom surface 3 becomes an uppermost surface of thefirst exemplary semiconductor structure. The first exemplarysemiconductor structure is positioned so that the buried insulator layerbottom surface 3 is substantially level.

A block copolymer layer 110 comprising self-assembling block copolymersthat are capable of self-organizing into nanometer-scale patterns areapplied over the buried insulator layer bottom surface 3. Under suitableconditions, the two or more immiscible polymeric block componentsseparate into two or more different phases on a nanometer scale andthereby form ordered patterns of isolated nano-sized structural units.Such ordered patterns of isolated nano-sized structural units formed bythe self-assembling block copolymers can be used for fabricatingnano-scale structural units in semiconductor, optical, and magneticdevices. Specifically, dimensions of the structural units so formed aretypically in the range of 10 to 40 nm, which are sub-lithographic (i.e.,below the resolutions of the lithographic tools).

Exemplary materials for the block copolymer layer 110 are described incommonly-assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/424,963, filed on Jun. 19, 2006, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference. Specific examples of self-assemblingblock copolymers that can be used for forming the structural units ofthe present invention may include, but are not limited to:polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA),polystyrene-block-polyisoprene (PS-b-PI),polystyrene-block-polybutadiene (PS-b-PBD),polystyrene-block-polyvinylpyridine (PS-b-PVP),polystyrene-block-polyethyleneoxide (PS-b-PEO),polystyrene-block-polyethylene (PS-b-PE),polystyrene-b-polyorganosilicate (PS-b-POS),polystyrene-block-polyferrocenyldimethylsilane (PS-b-PFS),polyethyleneoxide-block-polyisoprene (PEO-b-PI),polyethyleneoxide-block-polybutadiene (PEO-b-PBD),polyethyleneoxide-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PEO-b-PMMA),polyethyleneoxide-block-polyethylethylene (PEO-b-PEE),polybutadiene-block-polyvinylpyridine (PBD-b-PVP), andpolyisoprene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PI-b-PMMA). Theself-assembling block copolymers are first dissolved in a suitablesolvent system to form a block copolymer solution, which is then appliedonto the surface of the exemplary metal interconnect structure to form ablock copolymer layer 110. The solvent system used for dissolving theblock copolymer and forming the block copolymer solution may compriseany suitable solvent, including, but not limited to: toluene, propyleneglycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), propylene glycol monomethylether (PGME), and acetone. The thickness of the block copolymer layer110 may be from about 30 nm to about 600 nm, and preferably from about60 nm to about 300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are alsoexplicitly contemplated herein.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 5A, the first exemplary semiconductor structureis annealed at an elevated temperature to form a polymeric block matrix112 and cylindrical polymeric blocks 111. FIG. 5 is a verticalcross-sectional view and FIG. 5A is a local top-down view, i.e., atop-down view of a portion of the first exemplary semiconductorstructure of FIG. 5. Exemplary processes of annealing theself-assembling block copolymers in the block copolymer layer 110 toform two sets of polymer blocks are described in Nealey et al.,“Self-assembling resists for nanolithography,” IEDM Technical Digest,December 2005, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/IEDM.2005.1609349, thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, methodsof annealing described in the '963 Application may be employed. Theanneal may be performed, for example, at a temperature from about 200°C. to about 300° C. for a duration from less than about 1 hour to about100 hours.

The anneal induces self-aligned separation of a first polymeric blockcomponent, which constitutes the polymeric block matrix 112, and asecond polymeric block component, which constitutes the cylindricalpolymeric blocks 111. The first polymeric block component and the secondpolymeric block component are immiscible with each other, and thus,separate into the two distinct types of structures, i.e., the polymericblock matrix 112 and the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 upon theanneal. The polymeric block matrix 112 may have a horizontalcross-sectional shape including cavities in the shape of a polygon, suchas a hexagon, or a circle depending on the viscosity and composition ofthe components of the block copolymer layer 110. Typically, thepolymeric block matrix 112 has a pattern of a regular periodic array,i.e., in an array structure having a two dimensional periodicity such asa hexagonal array structure.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 6A, the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 areremoved selective to the polymeric block matrix 112 by an etch, whichmay be a dry etch or a wet etch. The etch may be an isotropic etch or ananisotropic etch. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view and FIG. 6Ais a local top-down view, i.e., a top-down view of a portion of thefirst exemplary semiconductor structure of FIG. 6. The etch removes thesecond polymeric block component selective to the first polymeric blockcomponent. The etch may, or may not, be selective to the burieddielectric layer 4. The sidewalls of the cavities in the polymeric blockmatrix 112 are exposed as well as portions of the buried insulator layerbottom surface 3 that do not underlie the polymeric block matrix 112.

Another etch that selectively removes the material of the buriedinsulator layer 4, which may comprise, for example, silicon oxide,silicon nitride, or aluminum oxide, selective to the polymeric blockmatrix 112 is performed. The remaining portion of the buried insulatorlayer 4 constitutes a constant thickness insulator portion 4′ and anarray of protuberances 5. The array of protuberances 5 is formedunderneath the polymeric block matrix 112, and has the same structuralcharacteristics as the exemplary array of protuberances 101 in FIGS. 1Aand 1D-1H.

Preferably, a pitch of the protuberances is less than 270 nm. If thepitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112 issublithographic, the pitch of the pattern of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm

Alternately, an array of protuberances may be formed in the buriedinsulator layer 4 by lithographic methods. FIG. 6B is a verticalcross-sectional view of a variation of the first exemplary semiconductorstructure, in which a photoresist 412 is applied over the buriedinsulator layer bottom surface 3 at a processing step corresponding toFIG. 4 instead of the block copolymer layer 110. FIG. 6C is localtop-down view, i.e., a top-down view of a portion of the variation ofthe first exemplary semiconductor structure, of FIG. 6B. The photoresist412 is patterned employing lithographic methods, and the buriedinsulator layer 4 is etched selective to the photoresist 412, whichfunctions as an etch mask. In this case, all lateral dimensions,including the pitch, of the array of protuberances are lithographicdimensions.

Referring to FIG. 7, the polymeric block matrix 112 or the photoresist412 is removed from the first exemplary semiconductor structureselective to the material of the insulator layer (4′, 5), whichcomprises the constant thickness insulator portion 4′ and the array ofprotuberances 5. The first exemplary semiconductor structure comprisesan insulator layer, which includes the constant thickness insulatorportion 4′ and the array of protuberances 5, having an interface with anambient gas or vacuum. The array of protuberances 5 is located at theinterface and enhances light transmission therethrough. The constantthickness insulator portion 4′ is located directly on the semiconductorlayer 10.

Embodiment of the present invention in which color filters and/oroptical lenses are formed over the insulator layer (4′, 5) is alsocontemplated herein. Further, the array of protuberances may be formedonly within a limited area after removing the handle substrate 2 bypatterning the block copolymer layer 110 to a limited area. Suchvariations are explicitly contemplated herein.

Referring to FIG. 8, a second exemplary semiconductor structureaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises asemiconductor layer 10 and back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) structures 29 asin the first embodiment. The second exemplary semiconductor structurecomprises an exemplary CMOS image sensor unit cell, which comprises apixel area and a logic area. The pixel area includes active pixels and adark pixel. The logic area includes semiconductor devices constitutinglogic circuitry for the active pixels and the dark pixel.

Each pixel may be an active pixel containing a combination of aphotodiode 8, a composite lens system comprising an optical lens 80,which is configured to focus light on the photodiode 8, and a colorfilter (69A or 69B) containing a color filter material, i.e., a materialthat selectively absorbs specific wavelengths of light. To form thecolor filters (69A, 69B), filter materials are deposited and patternedin the pixel area to provide filtering of lights for each pixel.Multiple types of filter materials may be employed, or alternatively,one type of filter material may be deposited and patterned to havedifferent thicknesses for each pixel type. Preferably, the pixel areaalso contains a dark pixel which comprises a photodiode 8, anotherconvex-top flat-bottom upper lens 80, and an aluminum light shield 66 sothat photons passing through the convex-top flat-bottom upper lens 80above the aluminum light shield 66 is reflected by the aluminum lightshield 66. The dark pixel provides a reference point for backgroundcurrent, or “dark current” that is generated within a photodiode 8 inthe absence of any illumination, so that a logic circuitry amplifyingthe charge in a floating drain region may subtract the background levelsignal corresponding to no illumination from the signal from each activepixel. The dark pixel may comprise another color filter 69C.

The second exemplary semiconductor structure comprises at least oneinterconnect level dielectric layer, such as the CA-M1 level dielectriclayer 30 and the second metal line (M2) level dielectric layer 40, andat least one dielectric layer formed directly on a top surface of the atleast one interconnect level dielectric layer. The at least onedielectric layer may be an M1 level dielectric cap layer or an M2 leveldielectric cap layer.

The M1 level dielectric cap layer comprises an M1 level flat dielectricportion 132 located in the logic area and an M1 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 232 formed in the pixel area.The M2 level dielectric cap layer comprises an M2 level flat dielectricportion 142 located in the logic area and an M2 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 242 formed in the pixel area.Additional metal interconnect levels may be formed in the BEOLstructures. Each of the M1 level protuberance-containing dielectricportion 232 and the M2 level protuberance-containing dielectric portion242 contains an array of protuberances having the same structure as theexemplary array of protuberances of FIGS. 1A and 1D-1H. Typically, theM1 level dielectric cap layer and the M2 level dielectric cap layercomprise a different material than the CA-M1 level dielectric layer 30,the M2 level dielectric layer 40, and the M3 level dielectric layer 50.

Method of forming such an array of protuberances in the M1 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 232 and the M2 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 242 are subsequentlyillustrated for formation of the M2 level protuberance-containingdielectric portion 242. The methods employed to form the M2 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 242 may be employed, however,to form the M1 level protuberance-containing dielectric portion 232and/or any additional protuberance-containing dielectric portions atdifferent levels in the BEOL structures 29.

Referring to FIG. 9, an exemplary M2 level metal interconnect structureaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown.The exemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure may be incorporatedinto the second exemplary semiconductor structure of FIG. 8. Theexemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure comprises second metalline (M2) level dielectric layer 40, a V1 via 46, M2 lines 48, and an M2level dielectric cap layer 42. The V1 via and M2 lines comprise aconductive metal such as W, Cu, Al, etc. The M2 level dielectric layer40 comprises a dielectric material such as doped or undoped siliconoxide, organosilicate glass, SiCOH dielectric material, a spin-ondielectric material such as SiLK™, etc. The thickness of the M2 leveldielectric cap layer 42 may be from about 100 nm to about 2,000 nm, andtypically from about 150 nm to about 600 nm, although lesser and greaterthicknesses are contemplated herein also. The M2 level dielectric caplayer 42 comprises another dielectric material such as silicon oxide,silicon nitride, BLoK™, NBLoK™, etc. Preferably, the M2 level dielectriccap layer 42 may function as an etch stop layer to facilitate processintegration during manufacturing. The thickness of the M2 leveldielectric cap layer 42 may be from about 50 nm to about 600 nm, andtypically from about 100 nm to about 300 nm, although lesser and greaterthicknesses are contemplated herein also. The M2 level dielectric caplayer 42 has the same thickness in the pixel area and in the logic area.

Referring to FIG. 10, a masking layer 43 is formed over the M2 leveldielectric cap layer 42. The masking layer 43 may be a hard mask layercomprising a non-photosensitive dielectric material, a semiconductormaterial, or a metallic material. Alternately, the masking layer 43 maybe a soft mask layer comprising a photoresist or a photosensitivedielectric material such as photosensitive polyimide. In case themasking layer 43 is a hard mask layer, a photoresist 44 is applied overthe masking layer 43 and is lithographically patterned so that the logicarea is covered by the photoresist 44, while the photoresist 44 is notpresent in the pixel area, i.e., a top surface of the masking layer 43is exposed in the pixel area. In case the masking layer 43 comprises asoft mask layer, the masking layer 43 may be patterned directly. Whilethe present invention is described for the case of a hard mask layer,variations of the present invention employing a soft mask layer isexplicitly contemplated herein. The thickness of the masking layer 43may be from about 40 nm to about 600 nm, and preferably from about 70 nmto about 300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are explicitlycontemplated herein also.

Referring to FIG. 11, the pattern in the photoresist 44 is transferredinto the masking layer 43 by an etch, which may be a dry etch or a wetetch. The photoresist 44 is subsequently removed. After patterning, themasking layer 43 is present in the logic area and absent in the pixelarea. A block copolymer layer 110 comprising self-assembling blockcopolymers that are capable of self-organizing into nanometer-scalepatterns are applied over the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42. The samematerials may be employed for the block copolymer layer 110 in thesecond embodiment as in the first embodiment. The thickness of the blockcopolymer layer 110 may be from about 30 nm to about 600 nm, andpreferably from about 60 nm to about 300 nm, although lesser and greaterthicknesses are explicitly contemplated herein also. Preferably, thethickness of the block copolymer layer 110 is less than the thickness ofthe masking layer 43 so that the block copolymer layer 110 is present inthe pixel area, and is absent in the logic area.

Referring to FIG. 12, the second exemplary semiconductor structure isannealed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The annealinduces self-aligned separation of a first polymeric block component,which constitutes the polymeric block matrix 112, and a second polymericblock component, which constitutes the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111.The first polymeric block component and the second polymeric blockcomponent are immiscible with each other, and thus, separate into thetwo distinct types of structures, i.e., the polymeric block matrix 112and the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 upon the anneal. The polymericblock matrix 112 may have a horizontal cross-sectional shape includingan array of cavities in the shape of a polygon, such as a hexagon, or acircle depending on the viscosity and composition of the components ofthe block copolymer layer 110. Typically, the polymeric block matrix 112are arranged in a regular periodic array, i.e., in an array structurehaving a two dimensional periodicity such as a hexagonal arraystructure.

Referring to FIG. 13, the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 is removedselective to the polymeric block matrix 112 by an etch, which may be adry etch or a wet etch. The etch may be an isotropic etch or ananisotropic etch. The etch removes the second polymeric block componentselective to the first polymeric block component. The etch may, or maynot, be selective to the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42. The sidewallsof cavities in the polymeric block matrix 112 are exposed as well asportions of the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42 that do not underliethe polymeric block matrix 112.

Referring to FIG. 14, another etch that selectively removes the materialof the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42 selective to the polymeric blockmatrix 112 is performed. An array of protuberances is formed underneaththe polymeric block matrix 112, and has the same structuralcharacteristics as the exemplary array of protuberances 101 in FIGS. 1Aand 1D-1H. The remaining portion of the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42in the pixel area constitutes an M2 level protuberance-containingdielectric portion 242. The portion of the M2 level dielectric cap layer42 within the logic area is herein referred to as an M2 level flatdielectric portion 142. The M2 level protuberance-containing dielectricportion 242 and the M2 level flat dielectric portion 142 collectivelyconstitute the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42.

Preferably, a pitch of the protuberances is less than 270 nm. If thepitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112 issublithographic, the pitch of the array of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm. Eachprotuberance in the array of protuberances may have a hexagonal symmetrywith surfaces having a constant concave curvature. The array ofprotuberances has a shape of a block matrix with an array of cavitiestherein, in which each cavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.

Alternately, an array of protuberances may be formed in the M2 leveldielectric cap layer 42 by lithographic methods. FIG. 14A is a verticalcross-sectional view of a variation of the second exemplarysemiconductor structure, in which a photoresist 412 is applied over theM2 level dielectric cap layer 42 in the exemplary M2 level metalinterconnect structure of FIG. 9. The photoresist 412 is patternedemploying lithographic methods, and the M2 level dielectric cap layer 42is etched selective to the photoresist 412, which functions as an etchmask. In this case, all lateral dimensions, including the pitch, of thearray of protuberances are lithographic dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 15, the polymeric block matrix 112 or the photoresist412 is removed from the exemplary M2 level metal interconnect structureselective to the material of the M2 level dielectric cap layer (142,242), which comprises the M2 level flat dielectric portion 142 in thelogic area and the M2 level protuberance-containing dielectric portion242 in the pixel area. The M2 level protuberance-containing dielectricportion 242 comprises a constant thickness portion 242B and an array ofprotuberances 242A. The constant thickness portion 242B, the array ofprotuberances 242A, and the M2 level flat dielectric portion 142 may beof integral construction and have the same composition. The M2 levelprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 242 may contain an opening,or a hole, to let light through without an optical interface as shown inFIG. 8. The M2 level protuberance-containing dielectric portion 242protects the underlying metal lines, i.e., the M2 lines 48 duringsubsequent processing.

The M2 level flat dielectric portion 142 has a first thickness t1. Eachof the protuberances in the array of protuberances 242A has a height hfrom a base to an apex. The constant thickness portion 242B abuts eachbase of the array of protuberances 242A and has a second thickness t2.The first thickness t1 may be substantially equal to a sum of the secondthickness t2 and the height h. The first thickness may be from about 50nm to about 600 nm, although lesser and greater thickness are alsocontemplated herein.

The exemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure is incorporated intothe second exemplary semiconductor structure, in which the array ofprotuberances 242A enhances light transmission between the M3 leveldielectric layer 50 and the M2 level dielectric cap layer (142, 242).Equivalent metal interconnect structures may be formed and incorporatedinto the second exemplary semiconductor structure, in which each of theequivalent metal interconnect structures contains an array ofprotuberances having a structural equivalence with the array ofprotuberances 242A in the exemplary M2 level metal interconnectstructure, a constant thickness portion having a structural equivalencewith the constant thickness portion 242B in exemplary M2 level metalinterconnect structure, and a flat dielectric portion having astructural equivalence with the M2 level flat dielectric portion 142 inexemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure. Thus, structuresequivalent to the exemplary M2 level metal interconnect structure may beimplemented at any metal interconnect level to enhance lighttransmission between the level above and the level containing adielectric cap layer, which is a dielectric layer comprising adielectric material and formed over an interconnect level dielectriclayer embedding metal lines and/or metal vias.

Referring to FIG. 16, a third exemplary semiconductor structureaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention comprises anexemplary device, which is a portion of a CMOS image sensor pixel. Theexemplary device includes a semiconductor substrate 108 and a gatestructure for a transfer gate transistor. The semiconductor substrate108 comprises a p+ doped semiconductor layer 110, a p− dopedsemiconductor layer 112, and a shallow trench isolation structure 120.The semiconductor substrate 108 further comprises a photodiode and asurface pinning layer 134 having a p-type doping. The photodiodecomprises an n-type charge collection well 130 located beneath thesurface pinning layer 134 and a p-type well 132, which is a portion ofthe p− doped semiconductor layer 112 and vertically abuts the p+ dopedsemiconductor layer 110. The transfer gate transistor is integrallyformed with the photodiode (130, 132) such that the n-type chargecollection well 130, which comprises an n+ doped semiconductor material,is also a source of the transfer gate transistor. The transfer gatetransistor further comprises a floating drain 140 located in thesemiconductor substrate 108, a gate dielectric 150 located directly on aportion of the p− doped semiconductor layer that functions as a channel(corresponding to a straight arrow in FIG. 1), a gate electrode 152, anda gate spacer 154. Reversing of the conductivity types in the thirdexemplary semiconductor to form a polarity reversed exemplarysemiconductor structure, in which a semiconductor substrate comprises ann− doped semiconductor layer and an n+ doped semiconductor layer locateddirectly underneath and a photodiode comprises a p-type chargecollection well and an n-type well formed in the n− doped semiconductorlayer, is explicitly contemplated herein.

A p-n junction and a depletion region is formed between the p-type well132 and the n-type charge collection well 130. A photon impinging on thephotodiode (132, 130) generates an electron-hole pair if the photoninteracts with the semiconductor material in the photodiode (132, 130).The energy of the photon that induces electron-hole pair generationdepends on the type of the semiconductor material in the semiconductorsubstrate 108, but the wavelength range of photons for thephotogeneration of an electron-hole pair is from about 190 nm to about1,100 nm for silicon, from about 400 nm to about 1,700 nm for germanium,and from about 800 nm to about 2,600 nm for indium gallium arsenide,respectively.

If the electron-hole pair is generated within the depletion region ofthe photodiode, which comprises the p-type well 132 and the n-typecharge collection well 130, the charge carriers (holes and electrons)drift apart due to the kinetic energy imparted to the charge carriersduring the photogeneration process. If a minority carrier (a hole in then-type charge collection well 130 or an electron in the p-type well 132)enters into the depletion region by drifting, the electric fieldinherent in the depletion region of the photodiode (132, 130) sweeps thecarrier across the p-n junction, which then becomes a majority carrier,i.e., a hole in the p-type well 132 or an electron in the n-type chargecollection well 130, upon crossing the p-n junction, and producing aphotocurrent if the circuit is closed, or accumulates charges.Particularly, if the carrier is an electron, the carrier accumulates inthe n-type charge collection well 132. The amount of charge thataccumulates in the n-type charge collection well 130 is nearly linear tothe number of incident photons (assuming the photons have the sameenergy distribution). If the minority carrier recombines with themajority carriers within the photodiode (132, 130) prior to entering thedepletion region, the minority carrier is “lost” through recombinationand no current or charge accumulation results.

During a read out of the charge from the photodiode (132, 130),electrons in the n-type charge collection well 130 are transferredthrough the body of the transistor to the floating drain 140 of thetransfer transistor. The transfer of the charge needs to be complete tomaximize the signal strength from the pixel and to avoid any image lag.If there is a potential barrier between the n-type charge collectionwell 130 and the channel of the transfer transistor, all of the chargemay not be transferred during a read operation or a reset operation.

An optional intermediate dielectric layer 170 is formed over the topsurface of the semiconductor substrate 108, the gate electrode 152, andthe gate spacer 154. The optional intermediate dielectric layer 170 isoptional, i.e., may, or may not be formed. The optional intermediatedielectric layer 170 comprises a dielectric material such as siliconoxide or silicon nitride. The optional intermediate dielectric layer 170may be formed, for example, by low pressure chemical vapor deposition(LPCVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), high densityplasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD), etc. The thickness of theoptional intermediate dielectric layer 170 may be from about 3 nm toabout 100 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are contemplatedherein also.

Referring to FIG. 17, a dielectric layer 180 is formed over the optionalintermediate dielectric layer 170. The dielectric layer 180 comprises adielectric material such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide.Preferably, the dielectric layer 180 comprises silicon nitride.Preferably, the dielectric layer 180 comprises a different material thanthe optional intermediate dielectric layer 170. For example, thedielectric layer 180 may comprise a first silicon nitride material andthe optional intermediate dielectric layer 170 may comprise a secondsilicon nitride material that is different in composition or inherentstress level than the first silicon nitride material. The dielectriclayer 180 may apply a tensile or compressive stress on the underlyingstructures.

A photoresist 144 is applied over the dielectric layer 180 and islithographically patterned to cover the area of the gate electrode 152and the floating drain. The portion of the dielectric layer 180 in thearea over the photodiode (132, 130) is exposed after patterning of thephotoresist 144.

Referring to FIG. 18, a block copolymer layer 110 comprisingself-assembling block copolymers that are capable of self-organizinginto nanometer-scale patterns are applied over the exposed portions ofthe dielectric layer 180. The same materials may be employed for theblock copolymer layer 110 in the second embodiment as in the firstembodiment. The thickness of the block copolymer layer 110 may be fromabout 30 nm to about 600 nm, and preferably from about 60 nm to about300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are explicitlycontemplated herein also. Preferably, the thickness of the blockcopolymer layer 110 is less than the height of the photoresist 144 sothat the block copolymer layer 110 is not present over the photoresist144.

Referring to FIG. 19, the third exemplary semiconductor structure isannealed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The annealinduces self-aligned separation of a first polymeric block component,which constitutes the polymeric block matrix 112, and a second polymericblock component, which constitutes the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111.The first polymeric block component and the second polymeric blockcomponent are immiscible with each other, and thus, separate into thetwo distinct types of structures, i.e., the polymeric block matrix 112and the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 upon the anneal. The polymericblock matrix 112 may have a horizontal cross-sectional shape of apolygon, such as a hexagon, or a circle depending on the viscosity andcomposition of the components of the block copolymer layer 110.Typically, the polymeric block matrix 112 are arranged in a regularperiodic array, i.e., in an array structure having a two dimensionalperiodicity such as a hexagonal array structure.

Referring to FIG. 20, the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 is removedselective to the polymeric block matrix 112 and the photoresist 144 byan etch, which may be a dry etch or a wet etch. The etch may be anisotropic etch or an anisotropic etch. The etch removes the secondpolymeric block component selective to the first polymeric blockcomponent. The etch may, or may not, be selective to the dielectriclayer 180. The sidewalls of cavities in the polymeric block matrix 112are exposed as well as portions of the dielectric layer 180 that do notunderlie the polymeric block matrix 112.

Referring to FIG. 21, another etch that selectively removes the materialof the dielectric layer 180 selective to the polymeric block matrix 112is performed. An array of protuberances is formed underneath thepolymeric block matrix 112, and has the same structural characteristicsas the exemplary array of protuberances 101 in FIGS. 1A and 1D-1H. Theremaining portion of the dielectric layer 180 above the photodiode (132,130) constitutes a protuberance-containing dielectric portion 182. Theportion of the dielectric layer 180 within the logic area is hereinreferred to as a flat dielectric portion 181. Theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 182 and the flat dielectricportion 181 collectively constitute the dielectric layer 180.

Preferably, a pitch of the protuberances is less than 270 nm. If thepitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112 issublithographic, the pitch of the array of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm. Eachprotuberance in the array of protuberances may have a shape of a conehaving a monotonically decreasing cross-sectional area as a function ofa vertical distance from a base of the cone. The array of protuberancesmay have a hexagonal symmetry with surfaces having a constant concavecurvature. The array of protuberances has a shape of a block matrix withan array of cavities therein, in which each cavity has a shape of aninverted circular cone.

Alternately, an array of protuberances may be formed in the dielectriclayer 180 by lithographic methods. FIG. 21A is a verticalcross-sectional view of a first variation of the third exemplarysemiconductor structure, in which a photoresist 412 is applied over thedielectric layer 180 over the third exemplary semiconductor structure ofFIG. 16 and lithographically patterned to cover the entirety of the areaover the gate electrode 152 and the floating drain 140, while forming apattern of an array of isolated cylinders over the photodiode (132,130). The dielectric layer 180 is etched selective to the photoresist412 to form a protuberance-containing dielectric portion 182, in whichthe photoresist 412 functions as an etch mask. In this case, all lateraldimensions, including the pitch, of the array of protuberances arelithographic dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 22, the polymeric block matrix 112 or the photoresist412 is removed from the third exemplary semiconductor structureselective to the material of the dielectric layer (181, 182), whichcomprises the flat dielectric portion 181, located over the gateelectrode 152 and the floating drain 140, and theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 182 located above thephotodiode (132, 130). The protuberance-containing dielectric portion182 comprises a constant thickness portion 182B and an array ofprotuberances 182A. The constant thickness portion 182B, the array ofprotuberances 182A, and the flat dielectric portion 181 may be ofintegral construction and have the same composition. The flat dielectricportion 181 has a first thickness t1′. Each of the protuberances in thearray of protuberances 182A has a height h′ from a base to an apex. Theconstant thickness portion 182B abuts each base of the array ofprotuberances 182A and has a second thickness t2′. The first thicknesst1′ may be substantially equal to a sum of the second thickness t2′ andthe height h′. The first thickness t1′ may be from about 50 nm to about600 nm, although lesser and greater thickness are also contemplatedherein.

A middle-of-line (MOL) dielectric layer 190 is deposited over thedielectric layer (181, 182). The MOL dielectric layer 190 may comprise,for example, a CVD oxide such as undoped silicate glass (USG),borosilicate glass (BSG), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), fluorosilicateglass (FSG), borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), or a combination thereof.Alternately, the MOL dielectric layer may comprise organosilicate glass(OSG), a SiCOH dielectric material, a spin-on low-k dielectric material,etc. Various contact via holes (not shown) are formed in the MOLdielectric layer 190 and filled with metal to from various contact vias(not shown). The protuberance-containing dielectric portion 182 providesenhanced transmission between the MOL dielectric layer 190 and thephotodiode (132, 130).

FIG. 22A is a second variation of the third exemplary semiconductorstructure in which the optional intermediate dielectric layer 170 inFIG. 22 is omitted, so that the dielectric layer (181, 182) is formeddirectly on the surface pinning layer 134, the shallow trench isolationstructure 120, the gate electrode 152, the gate spacer 154, and thefloating drain 140. The area above the shallow trench isolation region120 may have the protuberance-containing dielectric portion 182 or theflat dielectric portion 181. Preferably, the area above the shallowtrench isolation region 120 has the flat dielectric portion 181.

Referring to FIG. 23, a fourth exemplary semiconductor structureaccording to a fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises asemiconductor layer 10 and back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) structures 29 asin the first embodiment and/or the second embodiment. The fourthexemplary semiconductor structure comprises an exemplary CMOS imagesensor unit cell, which comprises a pixel area and a logic area. Thepixel area includes active pixels and a dark pixel. The logic areaincludes semiconductor devices constituting logic circuitry employed forthe active pixels and the dark pixel. The structure of each pixel may besubstantially the same as in the second embodiment with the differencebeing that the structure and the function of the optical lens 80, whichis a convex-top flat-bottom lens located on a top surface of thedielectric passivation layer 70, are provided by an alternate lenssystem.

Specifically, a dielectric material layer 90 is formed over, or as anupper portion of, the dielectric passivation layer 70, and flat-topconvex-bottom lenses 92 is formed embedded in the dielectric materiallayer 90 such that the flat top surfaces of the flat-top convex-bottomlenses 92 are substantially coplanar with the top surface of thedielectric material layer 90. The flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92 andthe dielectric material layer 90 comprises an optically transparentdielectric material that may withstand the processing temperatureemployed during packaging, e.g., about 220° C. Non-limiting exemplarymaterials for the dielectric material layer 90 include acrylate,methacrylate, epoxy-acrylate, polyimide, and a combination thereof.Non-limiting exemplary materials for the flat-top convex-bottom lenses92 include acrylate, methacrylate, epoxy-acrylate, polyimide, and acombination thereof. The combination of the materials for the dielectricmaterial layer 90 and the flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92 is selectedsuch that the refractive index of the flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92is greater than the refractive index of the dielectric material layer90. The dielectric material layer 90 has a planarized top surface, whichmay be effected by a spin-on coating or other planarization techniques.

Referring to FIG. 24, a dielectric layer 280 is formed over thedielectric material layer 90. The dielectric layer 280 comprises anoptically transparent dielectric material. Non-limiting exemplarymaterials for the dielectric layer 280 include acrylate, methacrylate,epoxy-acrylate, polyimide, and a combination thereof The thickness ofthe dielectric layer may be from about 40 nm to about 600 nm, althoughlesser and greater thickness are also contemplated herein.

A masking layer 243 is formed over the dielectric layer 280. The maskinglayer 43 may be a hard mask layer comprising a non-photosensitivedielectric material, a semiconductor material, or a metallic material.Alternately, the masking layer 243 may be a soft mask layer comprising aphotoresist or a photosensitive dielectric material such asphotosensitive polyimide. In case the masking layer 243 is a hard masklayer, a photoresist 244 is applied over the masking layer 243 and islithographically patterned so that the logic area is covered by thephotoresist 244, while the photoresist 244 is not present in the pixelarea, i.e., a top surface of the masking layer 243 is exposed in thepixel area. In case the masking layer 243 comprises a soft mask layer,the masking layer 243 may be patterned directly. While the presentinvention is described for the case of a hard mask layer, variations ofthe present invention employing a soft mask layer is explicitlycontemplated herein. The thickness of the masking layer 243 may be fromabout 40 nm to about 600 nm, and preferably from about 70 nm to about300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are also explicitlycontemplated herein.

Referring to FIG. 25, the pattern in the photoresist 244 is transferredinto the masking layer 243 by an etch, which may be a dry etch or a wetetch. The photoresist 244 is subsequently removed. After patterning, themasking layer 243 is present in the logic area and absent in the pixelarea. A block copolymer layer 110 comprising self-assembling blockcopolymers that are capable of self-organizing into nanometer-scalepatterns are applied over the exposed portions of the dielectric layer280. The same materials may be employed for the block copolymer layer110 in the second embodiment as in the first embodiment. The thicknessof the block copolymer layer 110 may be from about 30 nm to about 600nm, and preferably from about 60 nm to about 300 nm, although lesser andgreater thicknesses are explicitly contemplated herein also. Preferably,the thickness of the block copolymer layer 110 is less than thethickness of the masking layer 43 so that the block copolymer layer 110is present in the pixel area, and is absent in the logic area.

Referring to FIG. 26, the second exemplary semiconductor structure isannealed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The annealinduces self-aligned separation of a first polymeric block component,which constitutes the polymeric block matrix 112, and a second polymericblock component, which constitutes the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111.The first polymeric block component and the second polymeric blockcomponent are immiscible with each other, and thus, separate into thetwo distinct types of structures, i.e., the polymeric block matrix 112and the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 upon the anneal. The polymericblock matrix 112 may have different horizontal cross-sectional shapesdepending on the viscosity and composition of the components of theblock copolymer layer 110. Typically, the polymeric block matrix 112 arearranged in a regular periodic array, i.e., in an array structure havinga two dimensional periodicity such as a hexagonal array structure.

Referring to FIG. 27, the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111 is removedselective to the polymeric block matrix 112 by an etch, which may be adry etch or a wet etch. The etch may be an isotropic etch or ananisotropic etch. The etch removes the second polymeric block componentselective to the first polymeric block component. The etch may, or maynot, be selective to the dielectric layer 280. The sidewalls of cavitiesin the polymeric block matrix 112 are exposed as well as portions of thedielectric layer 280 that do not underlie the polymeric block matrix112.

Another etch that selectively removes the material of the dielectriclayer 280 selective to the polymeric block matrix 112 is performed. Anarray of protuberances is formed underneath the polymeric block matrix112, and has the same structural characteristics as the exemplary arrayof protuberances 101 in FIGS. 1A and 1D-1H. The remaining portion of thedielectric layer 280 in the pixel area constitutes aprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 282. The portion of thedielectric layer 280 within the logic area is herein referred to as aflat dielectric portion 281. The protuberance-containing dielectricportion 282 and the flat dielectric portion 281 collectively constitutethe dielectric layer 280.

Preferably, a pitch of the protuberances is less than 270 nm. If thepitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112 issublithographic, the pitch of the array of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm. Eachprotuberance in the array of protuberances may have a shape of a conehaving a monotonically decreasing cross-sectional area as a function ofa vertical distance from a base of each protuberance. The array ofprotuberances may have a hexagonal symmetry with surfaces having aconstant concave curvature. The array of protuberances has a shape of ablock matrix with an array of cavities therein, in which each cavity hasa shape of an inverted circular cone.

Alternately, an array of protuberances may be formed in the dielectriclayer 280 by lithographic methods. FIG. 27A is a verticalcross-sectional view of a variation of the fourth exemplarysemiconductor structure, in which a photoresist 412 is applied directlythe dielectric layer 280 instead of a masking layer comprising a hardmask material. The photoresist 412 is patterned employing lithographicmethods, and the dielectric layer 280 is etched selective to thephotoresist 412, which functions as an etch mask. In this case, alllateral dimensions, including the pitch, of the array of protuberancesare lithographic dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 28, the polymeric block matrix 112 or the photoresist412 is removed selective to the material of the dielectric layer (281,282), which comprises the flat dielectric portion 281 in the logic areaand the protuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 in the pixelarea. The protuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 comprises aconstant thickness portion 282B and an array of protuberances 282A. Theconstant thickness portion 282B, the array of protuberances 282A, andthe flat dielectric portion 281 may be of integral construction and havethe same composition. The protuberance-containing dielectric portion 282enhances transmission of light from the ambient, which theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 is exposed to and may beair or vacuum, to the dielectric material layer 90. Theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 enhances transmission oflight from the ambient to the flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92.

The flat dielectric portion 281 has a first thickness t1″. Each of theprotuberances in the array of protuberances 282A has a height h″ from abase to an apex. The constant thickness portion 282B abuts each base ofthe array of protuberances 282A and has a second thickness t2″. Thefirst thickness t1″ may be substantially equal to a sum of the secondthickness t2″ and the height h″. The first thickness t1′ may be fromabout 50 nm to about 600 nm, although lesser and greater thickness arealso contemplated herein.

The transistors in the pixel area are of integral construction with thephotodiode 8 as illustrated in the third exemplary semiconductorstructure. The protuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 has aninterface with an ambient gas or vacuum. The protuberance-containingdielectric portion 282 contains an array of protuberances having thesame structure as the exemplary array of protuberances of FIGS. 1A and1D-1H. A pitch of the array of protuberances may be less than 270 nm.The pitch may be a sub-lithographic dimension. The array may be aregular hexagonal array. The array of protuberances may have a hexagonalsymmetry with surfaces having a constant concave curvature. The array ofprotuberances has a shape of a block matrix with an array of cavitiestherein, in which each cavity has a shape of an inverted circular cone.The height of the cone may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm, and thefirst thickness may be from about 50 nm to about 600 nm.

An aluminum bond pad 67 is exposed in the logic area by removing thestack of the flat dielectric portion 281, the dielectric material layer90, and the dielectric passivation layer 70, the M3 level dielectric caplayer 62, and the M3 level dielectric layer 60 within a metal pad area,i.e., an area including the aluminum metal pad 67. The aluminum metalpad 67 may be employed for wire bonding or C4 bonding.

Referring to FIG. 28A, a second variation of the fourth exemplarysemiconductor structure includes convex-top flat bottom lenses 92′instead of flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92 in FIG. 28. The flat bottomsurfaces of the convex-top flat bottom lenses 92′ vertically abut thetop surfaces of the dielectric passivation layer 70. The convex-top flatbottom lenses 92′ are separated from the dielectric layer (281, 282) bythe dielectric material layer 90. The convex-top flat bottom lenses 92′provide the same function as the flat-top convex-bottom lenses 92 inFIG. 28, i.e., focusing incident light onto the photodiodes 8. Theprotuberance-containing dielectric portion 282 provides the samefunction as in the second exemplary semiconductor structure of FIG. 28,i.e., enhancing transmission of light between the ambient and thedielectric material layer 90.

Referring to FIG. 29, a fifth exemplary semiconductor structureaccording to a fifth embodiment of the present invention comprises asemiconductor chip 310 mounted on a lower package housing 380 by anadhesive layer 312, which may comprise an epoxy. Package side bond pads370 are located on the inside of the lower package housing 380, andpackage pins 374 are located on the outside of the lower package housing380. Each of the package pins 374 is connected to one of the packageside bond pads 370 through the lower package housing 380. One end ofeach of the bonding wires 330 is connected to one of the wire bond pads320 through one of the ball bonds 322. The other end of each of thebonding wires 330 is connected to one of the package side bond pads 370through a wedge bond 372, which tends to be larger than a ball bond 322.The wire bonding process employing a wedge bond 372 is called “wedgebonding.” The bonding wires 330 are welded to the wedge bond 372 by acombination of heat, pressure, and/or ultrasonic energy as in ballbonding. The wire bond structures in the fifth exemplary semiconductorstructure is for purposes of illustration only, and does not limit thescope of the present invention. The present invention may also bepracticed in any other wire bond configuration employing differentbonding technology.

An upper package housing comprises an upper package housing frame 390and an optically transparent window 100 laterally surrounded by theupper package housing frame 390. The upper package housing frame 390,the optically transparent window 100, and the lower package housing 380encapsulates the semiconductor chip 310 to provide protection fromambient environment and prevents oxidation or moisture ingress into thesemiconductor chip 310. The chip package comprises the upper packagehousing frame 390, the optically transparent window 100, the lowerpackage housing 380, the package side bond pads 370, and the packagepins 374.

The optically transparent window 100 comprises a constant thicknessportion 98, a first array of protuberances 97 located on a first surfaceof the constant thickness portion 98, and a second array ofprotuberances located on a second surface of the constant thicknessportion 98. The constant thickness portion 98, the first array ofprotuberances 97, and the second array of protuberances are of integralconstruction, i.e., there is not any physically manifested interfacebetween the constant thickness portion 98 and the first or second arrayof protuberances (97 or 99). The optically transparent window comprisesan optically transparent material including, but not limited to, siliconoxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, and any other opticallytransparent material.

FIG. 30 is a magnified view of the fifth exemplary semiconductorstructure showing the elements contained in the semiconductor chip 310and the optically transparent window 100. The semiconductor chip 310 maycomprise any of the first through fourth exemplary semiconductorstructure of the present invention described above.

Referring to FIG. 31, an optically transparent window according to thepresent invention may be manufactured by applying a front side blockcopolymer layer 110′ to an optically transparent layer 98P having asubstantially constant thickness, a flat top surface, and a flat bottomsurface. The front side block copolymer layer 110′ comprisesself-assembling block copolymers that are capable of self-organizinginto nanometer-scale patterns are applied over the top surface of theoptically transparent layer. The same materials may be employed for thefront side block copolymer layer 110′ in the fifth embodiment as in theblock copolymer layer 110 in the first embodiment. The thickness of thefront side block copolymer layer 110′ may be from about 30 nm to about600 nm, and preferably from about 60 nm to about 300 nm, although lesserand greater thicknesses are explicitly contemplated herein also.

Referring to FIG. 32, the front side block copolymer layer 110′ isannealed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The annealinduces self-aligned separation of a first polymeric block component,which constitutes the polymeric block matrix 112′, and a secondpolymeric block component, which constitutes the cylindrical polymericblocks 111′. The first polymeric block component and the secondpolymeric block component are immiscible with each other, and thus,separate into the two distinct types of structures, i.e., the polymericblock matrix 112′ and the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111′ upon theanneal. The polymeric block matrix 112′ may have different horizontalcross-sectional shapes depending on the viscosity and composition of thecomponents of the block copolymer layer 110. Typically, the polymericblock matrix 112′ are arranged in a regular periodic array, i.e., in anarray structure having a two dimensional periodicity such as a hexagonalarray structure.

Referring to FIG. 33, the cylindrical polymeric blocks 111′ is removedselective to the polymeric block matrix 112′ by an etch, which may be adry etch or a wet etch. The etch may be an isotropic etch or ananisotropic etch. The etch removes the second polymeric block componentselective to the first polymeric block component. The etch may, or maynot, be selective to the optically transparent layer 98P (See FIG. 32).The sidewalls of cavities in the polymeric block matrix 112′ are exposedas well as portions of the optically transparent layer 98P that do notdirectly underlie the polymeric block matrix 112′.

Another etch that selectively removes the material of the opticallytransparent layer 98P, which may comprise, for example, silicon oxide,silicon nitride, or aluminum oxide, selective to the polymeric blockmatrix 112′ is performed. The remaining portions of the opticallytransparent layer 98P constitute a constant thickness insulator portion98 and a first array of protuberances 97. The remaining portions of theoptically transparent layer 98P are herein collectively referred to asan optically transparent window 100. The first array of protuberances 97is formed underneath the polymeric block matrix 112′, and has the samestructural characteristics as the exemplary array of protuberances 101in FIGS. 1A and 1D-1H.

Preferably, a pitch of the first array of protuberances is less than 270nm. If the pitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112′ issublithographic, the pitch of the array of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112′. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm

Alternately, a first array of protuberances may be formed in theoptically transparent layer 98P by lithographic methods. FIG. 33A is avertical cross-sectional view of a first variation of the fifthembodiment, in which a photoresist 412 is applied over the opticallytransparent layer 98P at a processing step corresponding to FIG. 31instead of the front side block copolymer layer 110′. The photoresist412 is patterned employing lithographic methods, and the opticallytransparent layer 98P is etched selective to the photoresist 412, whichfunctions as an etch mask. In this case, all lateral dimensions,including the pitch, of the array of protuberances are lithographicdimensions.

Referring to FIG. 34, the polymeric block matrix 112′ or the photoresist412 is removed selective to the material of the optically transparentwindow 100. The optically transparent window 100 is flipped around sothat the back side surface, which is a flat surface, of the opticallytransparent window 100 faces upward, and is substantially level. A backside block copolymer layer 110″ is applied to the back side surface ofthe optically transparent window 100. The back side block copolymerlayer 110″ comprises self-assembling block copolymers that are capableof self-organizing into nanometer-scale patterns are applied over thetop surface of the optically transparent layer. The same materials maybe employed for the back side block copolymer layer 110″ in the fifthembodiment as in the block copolymer layer 110 in the first embodiment.The thickness of the back side block copolymer layer 110″ may be fromabout 30 nm to about 600 nm, and preferably from about 60 nm to about300 nm, although lesser and greater thicknesses are also explicitlycontemplated herein.

Referring to FIG. 35, the same processing steps may be employed as theprocessing steps corresponding to FIGS. 32 and 33 so that the sidewallsof the polymeric block matrix 112″ are exposed by an etch that removescylindrical polymeric blocks (not shown). The polymeric block matrix112″ are formed from the back side block copolymer layer 110″. Portionsof the back side surface of the optically transparent window 100 that donot underlie the polymeric block matrix 112 are also exposed.

Another etch that selectively removes the material of the opticallytransparent window 100 selective to the polymeric block matrix 112″ isperformed. A sub-portion of the constant thickness portion 98 becomes asecond array of protuberances 99, which underlie the polymeric blockmatrix 112″. The second array of protuberances 99 has the samestructural characteristics as the exemplary array of protuberances 101in FIGS. 1A and 1D-1H.

Preferably, a pitch of the second array of protuberances is less than270 nm. If the pitch of the pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112″is sublithographic, the pitch of the array of the protuberances is alsosublithographic, i.e., may be less than 50 nm and may scale down to adimension less than the lithographic minimum dimension with the pitch ofthe pattern of the polymeric block matrix 112″. A height of the cone ineach of the protuberances may be from about 40 nm to about 480 nm

Alternately, a second array of protuberances may be formed in theoptically transparent layer 98P by lithographic methods. FIG. 35A is avertical cross-sectional view of a second variation of the fifthembodiment, in which a photoresist 412′ is applied over the back sidesurface of the optically transparent window 100 at a processing stepcorresponding to FIG. 34 instead of the back side block copolymer layer110′. The photoresist 412′ is patterned employing lithographic methods,and the back side surface of the optically transparent window 100 isetched selective to the photoresist 412′, which functions as an etchmask. In this case, all lateral dimensions, including the pitch, of thearray of protuberances are lithographic dimensions.

Referring to FIG. 36, the polymeric block matrix 112″ or the photoresist412′ is removed selective to the material of the optically transparentwindow 100. The optically transparent window 100 comprises the constantthickness portion 98, the first array of protuberances 97, and thesecond array of protuberances 99. The optically transparent window 100is mounted on a package housing to form the fifth exemplarysemiconductor structure of FIG. 29. The first and second arrays ofprotuberance (97, 99) provide high transmission through the opticallytransparent window 100. In case the optically transparent window 100comprises silicon oxide, the transmission coefficient at the interfacebetween the optically transparent window 100 of the present inventionmay exceed 99% at each interface with air, whereas a conventional windowcomprising silicon oxide has a transmission coefficient of about 96.5%at each interface with the air.

The first through fourth embodiments of the present invention may beincorporated into a semiconductor design by specifying the area in whichan array of protuberances is to be formed. FIG. 37 shows a block diagramof an exemplary design flow 900 used for example, in semiconductordesign and manufacturing. Design flow 900 may vary depending on the typeof IC being designed. For example, a design flow for building anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC) may differ from a designflow for designing a standard integrated circuit component. Designstructure 920 is preferably an input to a design process 910 and maycome from an intellectual property (IP) provider, a core developer, or adesign company, or may be generated by the operator of a design flow, ormay come from other sources.

Design structure 920 comprises an embodiment of present invention, i.e.,one of first through fourth embodiments or a combination thereof, in theform of schematics or HDL, hardware description language (e.g. Verilog,VHDL, C, etc.) The design structure 920 may be contained on one or moremachine readable medium. For example, design structure 920 may be a textfile or a graphical representation of an embodiment of the inventionthat specifies an area in which an array of protuberances is to beformed.

Design process 910 preferably synthesizes (or translates) an embodimentof the invention into a netlist 980, where the netlist 980 is, forexample, a list of wires, transistors, logic gates, control circuits,I/O, models, etc. that describes the connections to other elements andcircuits in an integrated circuit design and recorded on at least one ofmachine readable medium. For example, the medium may be a CD, a compactflash, other flash memory, a packet of data to be sent via the Internet,or other networking suitable means. The synthesis may be an iterativeprocess in which the netlist 980 is resynthesized one or more timesdepending on design specifications and parameters for the circuit.

The design process 910 may include using a variety of inputs; forexample, inputs from library elements 930 which may house a set ofcommonly used elements, circuits, and devices, including models,layouts, and symbolic representations, for a given manufacturingtechnology (e.g., different technology nodes such as 32 nm, 45 nm, and90 nm, etc.), design specifications 940, characterization data 950,verification data 960, design rules 970, and test data files 985 (whichmay include, for example, standard circuit design processes such astiming analysis, verification, design rule checking, place and routeoperations, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuitdesign can appreciate the extent of possible electronic designautomation tools and applications used in the design process 910 withoutdeviating from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The designstructure of the present invention is not limited to any specific designflow.

Design process 910 preferably translates an embodiment of the inventionas shown in FIG. 2, along with any additional integrated circuit deignor data (if applicable), into a second design structure 990. Designstructure 990 resides on a storage medium in a data format used for theexchange of layout data of integrated circuits and/or symbolic dataformat (e.g., information stored in GDSII (GDS2), GL1, OASIS, map files,or any other suitable format for storing such design structures). Designstructure 990 comprises information specifying an area in which an arrayof protuberances of the present invention is to be formed. Designstructure 990 may further comprise information such as, for example,symbolic data, map files, test data files, design content files,manufacturing data, layout parameters, wires, levels of metal, vias,shapes, data for routing though the manufacturing line, and any otherdata required by a semiconductor manufacturer to produce an embodimentof the invention. Design structure 990 may then proceed to a stage 995where, for example, design structure 990 proceeds to tape-out, isreleased to manufacturing, is released to a mask house, is sent toanother design house, is sent back to a customer, etc.

While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments,it is evident in view of the foregoing description that numerousalternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention is intended to encompassall such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall withinthe scope and spirit of the invention and the following claims.

1. A semiconductor structure comprising: a photodiode located on a firstsurface of a semiconductor layer; a metal interconnect layer located onsaid first surface of said semiconductor layer; and an insulator layerlocated on a second surface of said semiconductor layer, wherein saidsecond surface is located on an opposite side of said first surface, andwherein said insulator layer includes an array of protuberances at aninterface with an ambient gas or vacuum, wherein a pitch of saidprotuberances is less than 270 nm.
 2. The semiconductor structure ofclaim 1, wherein said pitch is a sub-lithographic dimension.
 3. Thesemiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein said array is a regularhexagonal array.
 4. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, furthercomprising: a transistor located directly on said first surface of saidsemiconductor layer, wherein a source of said transistor is of integralconstruction with said photodiode; and a shallow trench isolation regionabutting said first surface of said semiconductor layer.
 5. Thesemiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein each of said array ofprotuberances has a shape of a cone having a monotonically decreasingcross-sectional area as a function of a vertical distance from a base ofsaid cone, and wherein a height of said cone is from about 40 nm toabout 480 nm.
 6. The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein saidsemiconductor layer comprises silicon and said insulator layer comprisesilicon oxide, and wherein a total height of said insulator layerincluding said array of protuberances is from about 100 nm to about2,000 nm.
 7. A semiconductor structure comprising: a photodiode locatedon a first surface of a semiconductor layer; a metal interconnect layerlocated on said first surface of said semiconductor layer; and aninsulator layer located on a second surface of said semiconductor layer,wherein said second surface is located on an opposite side of said firstsurface, said insulator layer includes an array of protuberances at aninterface with an ambient gas or vacuum, and said array is a regularhexagonal array.
 8. The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein apitch of said protuberances is a sub-lithographic dimension.
 9. Thesemiconductor structure of claim 7, further comprising: a transistorlocated directly on said first surface of said semiconductor layer,wherein a source of said transistor is of integral construction withsaid photodiode; and a shallow trench isolation region abutting saidfirst surface of said semiconductor layer.
 10. The semiconductorstructure of claim 7, wherein each of said array of protuberances has ashape of a cone having a monotonically decreasing cross-sectional areaas a function of a vertical distance from a base of said cone, andwherein a height of said cone is from about 40 nm to about 480 nm. 11.The semiconductor structure of claim 7, wherein said semiconductor layercomprises silicon and said insulator layer comprise silicon oxide, andwherein a total height of said insulator layer including said array ofprotuberances is from about 100 nm to about 2,000 nm.
 12. Asemiconductor structure comprising: a photodiode located on a firstsurface of a semiconductor layer; a metal interconnect layer located onsaid first surface of said semiconductor layer; and an insulator layerlocated on a second surface of said semiconductor layer, wherein saidsecond surface is located on an opposite side of said first surface,said insulator layer includes an array of protuberances at an interfacewith an ambient gas or vacuum, and wherein each of said array ofprotuberances has a shape of a cone having a monotonically decreasingcross-sectional area as a function of a vertical distance from a base ofsaid cone, and said cone has a height from about 40 nm to about 480 nm.13. The semiconductor structure of claim 12, wherein a pitch of saidprotuberances is a sub-lithographic dimension.
 14. The semiconductorstructure of claim 12, wherein said array is a regular hexagonal array.15. The semiconductor structure of claim 12, further comprising: atransistor located directly on said first surface of said semiconductorlayer, wherein a source of said transistor is of integral constructionwith said photodiode; and a shallow trench isolation region abuttingsaid first surface of said semiconductor layer.
 16. The semiconductorstructure of claim 12, wherein said semiconductor layer comprisessilicon and said insulator layer comprise silicon oxide, and wherein atotal height of said insulator layer including said array ofprotuberances is from about 100 nm to about 2,000 nm.